Instants
by SummerStarWatcher
Summary: A series of instants in the intertwined lives of Tony and Ziva, past, present, and future. Each episode was written based on a single word prompt and compiled in alphabetical order. There will be twenty-six episodes in total.
1. Chapter 1

Airplanes

Flying had never been her favorite thing to do. Yes, she endured it without complaint, but she much preferred any other form of transportation. There was just something about being contained in a small tin box, thousands of feet above the earth that freaked her out.

Not to mention, flying was always so boring, spending hours on end trapped in a seat next to God knows who. One can only read a book for so long, and even with all the technology available to her for entertainment these days, she could never shake the feeling of tedium.

There was no question about it, Ziva was not fond of being in an airplane.

This trip, however, was different. Very different. And it was all because of him.

For the first time, they were on a flight together without being directly involved in some mission or other. Vance had sent them both to a defense convention in Geneva, which was essentially a paid vacation.

It was clear that Tony was looking forward to this trip. He was bouncy and far too awake when he picked her up at 5 in the morning to head to the airport, playing cheerful music in the car all the way to Dulles.

After a while, it seemed his good mood was rubbing off on her, coaxing her out of her pre-flight funk. In fact, by the time they were boarding the plane she was laughing, relaxed, and looking forward to spending hours sitting next to him during the flight.

Perhaps flying wasn't so bad, she mused, as long as you had a good partner to share it with.


	2. Chapter 2

Bright

"Gahh!" he exclaimed, throwing up a hand to cover his eyes, face comically pained. "Sun!"

She snickered, sunglasses already in place to combat the glaring brightness of the midday sun.

"Don't laugh!" he said, groping blindly in his backpack, searching for his shades while keeping one hand over his eyes.

After another moment without any success in the sunglasses hunt, she offered, "Like some help?"

"Please," he said, handing over his bag. "I'm still seeing spots over here."

She took the bag and held it at her side, still smirking at him.

"Well? Why aren't you looking for my glasses?" he asked, sounding a bit peeved.

Finally, Ziva could contain it no more and burst out laughing.

"What? What?" he said, looking mildly insulted.

Speechless, she merely shook her head and pointed at his head.

"What?" he said again. "Is my hair messed up or something?" He reached a hand up to brush down his hair, stopping when his fingers bumped into something hard and plastic. "Oh."

"'Oh' indeed," she sniggered as he slipped the glasses down over his eyes, apparently trying to maintain some dignity as he turned to continue on back to the car.

Immediately, he tripped over a small bush and nearly landed in a faceplant on the pavement.

Now he joined her in laughter, not above making fun of himself sometimes, and tossed her the keys. "Maybe you should drive, my dear," he said, "since I'm apparently still blind."

She caught them adroitly and walked with him to their vehicle, still giggling, and was happy. Not wild, up-in-the-sky happy, but ordinarily, peacefully, content.

He seemed to bring it out in her.


	3. Chapter 3

Correspondence

To: Ziva David

From: Tony DiNozzo

Subject: Concentration

What's McGee working so hard on over there? I haven't seen him look so concentrated since he stopped playing those online games at work. Surely he can't be doing paperwork like the rest of us.

Tony DiNozzo

NCIS Very Special Agent

NCIS Headquarters, Washington DC

To: Tony DiNozzo

From: Ziva David

Subject: Work

Of course he's doing paperwork, you know that Gibbs wants all the case reports finished by the end of the day. You'd better hope he doesn't catch you doing anything besides paperwork. Now leave me alone, I need to finish these reports so I can go home by 5 tonight.

Ziva David

NCIS Special Agent

NCIS Headquarters, Washington DC

To: Ziva David

From: Tony DiNozzo

Subject: Oooh

Has someone got plans for tonight? You'd better cancel them, we have enough to get through that we'll likely be here until Monday. Do you really think Gibbs will follow through on his threat to make us stay here all weekend if we're not done by the end of today?

Tony DiNozzo

Paperwork slave

NCIS Headquarters, Washington DC

To: Tony DiNozzo

From: Ziva David

Subject: None of your business

It is no concern of yours if I have plans or not. Regardless, I want to go home tonight, so you should let me work and stop distracting me. I don't want to find out if Gibbs will make good on his threat or not, and neither should you. Mind your own business and get back to work.

Ziva David

NCIS Special Agent

NCIS Headquarters, Washington DC

To: Ziva David

From: Tony DiNozzo

Subject: All of my business

You mind yours, I'll mind mine. Relax, I've got this paperwork covered. So, plans tonight? Yes or no?

Tony DiNozzo

Nosy coworker

NCIS Headquarters, Washington DC

To: Tony DiNozzo

From: Ziva David

Subject: Plans

Why do you care if I've got plans tonight?

Ziva David

NCIS Special Agent

NCIS Headquarters, Washington DC

To: Ziva David

From: Tony DiNozzo

Subject: Just because

Just answer the damn question.

Tony DiNozzo

Slightly annoyed coworker

NCIS Headquarters, Washington DC

To: Tony DiNozzo

From: Ziva David

Subject: Work

If I tell you, will you let me get back to work?

Ziva David

NCIS Special Agent

NCIS Headquarters, Washington DC

To: Ziva David

From: Tony DiNozzo

Subject: Yes.

Yes. So…?

Tony DiNozzo

Impatient coworker

NCIS Headquarters, Washington DC

To: Tony DiNozzo

From: Ziva David

Subject: Plans

My neighbor is out of town, and I'm taking care of her cat for her while she's gone. The cat is supposed to be fed around the same time every night, which means that I need to leave at 5 this evening.

Now can I get back to work, please?

Ziva David

NCIS Special Agent

NCIS Headquarters, Washington DC

To: Ziva David

From: Tony DiNozzo

Subject: Plans

So, you don't have plans. Not really. You could've just said so. Wanna grab dinner tonight, after you've fed the cat?

Tony DiNozzo

Hopeful coworker

NCIS Headquarters, Washington DC

To: Tony DiNozzo

From: Ziva David

Subject: Dinner

Sure, I'd love to. We can invite Abby and McGee, too. There's this new Thai place that Abby and I have been meaning to try out, maybe we could go there?

Ziva David

NCIS Special Agent

NCIS Headquarters, Washington DC

Tony glared at his computer. Really, he should've expected Ziva's reply, but nonetheless he was disappointed and frustrated. She'd completely missed the point.

After days spent contemplating it, he'd finally tried to ask her out. And this was the response he'd gotten.

For a moment he toyed with the idea of explaining that he'd meant as a date, not as a dinner with friends. Then he sighed, unable to summon enough courage to do so, and typed on more email.

To: Ziva David

From: Tony DiNozzo

Subject: Dinner

Sure, that sounds great. I'll tell Abby and McGee. Now, I believe you have some paperwork to finish. Get back to work!

Tony DiNozzo

NCIS Very Special Agent

NCIS Headquarters, Washington DC


	4. Chapter 4

Distance

Never did he feel the distance more than when she went to Israel. She was halfway around the world, yes, but what was even worse was the distance between them every time after she came back.

It was as if the country did something to her, pulled her back into her past and created a deep, yawning chasm between them. How could he possibly compete with long-held memories when all he had was words and actions?

Any progress that he might have made with her before a visit disappeared the moment she got back. Any warmth, any feeling that might have blossomed between them quickly shifted to cool indifference on her end, and he knew he'd have to spend weeks and months making up lost progress.

These trips, infrequent though they were, pulled at his heart. While he sat at his desk, looking across at her empty desk and wishing she were home, she was off forgetting all about him.

And finally, he had thought he'd lost her to her country for good. He'd thought that she'd never come home again.

Thank god that wasn't the case.


	5. Chapter 5

End

They had reached the end, Ziva knew. It had been coming for a while, she could feel it, but it didn't mean that it hurt any less to leave.

"Goodbye," she said, doing her best to keep her expression calm as she faced him.

His face was equally emotionless as she looked at him, before walking over and holding the door open for her, shutting it as soon as she was outside.

She made it to her car before breaking into tears. Unwilling to let him see her cry, she turned the key in the ignition and stepped on the gas, tearing away from his house.

Later that evening, once the tears had dried, she still felt like she was going to burst from all the emotions roiling inside of her. Grief and sadness, relief and ease and a strange sense of rightness all mixed around in her heart until she could bear it no longer.

She had to talk to someone.

Tony picked up on the first ring. "What's up, Buttercup?"

She chuckled in spite of herself. "Just in need of a bit of comfort."

"Ah." The single word was filled with sympathy. "So it's over, then?"

She sighed. "Yes. Although, really, it's been over for a while. I'm not sure why it took so long to end."

She could practically hear him shrugging. "Habit, maybe, or just a reluctance to disrupt each other's lives. Happens to the best of us." Then, after a brief pause, "Come out to dinner with me? I was just about to leave."

She marveled at his ability to know just what she needed. "Yes, please. Where are should I meet you?"

"Right where you are. I'll be by to pick you up, in, say, twenty minutes?"

"Okay. See you soon." She hung up, already noticeably calmer. He always had this effect on her, making other emotions seem insignificant. She was never sure if this was because he just naturally had a calming effect on people, or if because the emotions she felt with him put all others to shame.

The latter option caused her heart to flutter, and she had to laugh at herself. Here she was, mere hours after a break up, already considering a new relationship with none other than a coworker.

Shaking her head at herself, she went to grab a coat, ignoring the niggling voice inside her that wondered why she was laughing.

It was clear to her subconscious, if not to her conscious, that Tony was no laughing matter.


End file.
